Fishing Report 7-3-21

The summer heat keeps rolling along and there may be changes ahead as the water temperatures continue to rise. One of the things that anglers need to pay attention to, especially with walleyes, is there locations in the coming weeks. Water temperatures and food can be the driving force on where the walleyes will be in the next weeks to come. In years past when water temperatures rise to the mid to upper 70’s, walleyes will seek weeds for shade, oxygen, and food. It’s a phenomenon that happens when water temperatures rise to a level that forces walleyes and other gamefish to move shallow. Adjusting techniques can make a huge difference in your success. Over the years we have learned that pulling spinners with a medium size chub or half of a night crawler can be one of the best presentations to put walleyes in the boat. New cabbage weeds are prime locations for contacting walleyes during the hot weather periods of the summer. Trolling speed is essential and speeds of 1.2 to 1.4 mph are important to keep your bait over the top of the weeds. A 3/16^th ounce bullet weight is ideal for controlling the proper location of your bait. It will amaze you how many species you can catch with this spinner presentation all through the summer. Some of the lakes this will work for you are Sand, Pokegama, Bass, Bowstring, Big Splithand, Trout in Coleraine and Swan. Give it a try and you will be happy with the results.

Bass fishing has been real good on area lakes and doesn’t look to slow down very soon. Largemouth Bass has been especially good with shallow presentations working the best. Spinner baits, Frog types, plastic worms, Ned Rigs, and top water baits on calm days all seem to be producing nice fish. Smallmouth Bass have dropped to their summer locations on rock piles, weed nixed with gravel and rock, and deep edges associated with the above mentioned bottom features. Docks and downed trees along shorelines can also hold both species of bass. Some of the good bass lakes in the Grand Rapids area are Big Rice, Wabana, Trout, Clubhouse, Loon, and Deer.